Overhead traverse for supporting draperies or the like



Oct. 17, 1967 I L. BLACKBURN 3,346,909

OVERHEAD TRAVERSE FOR SUPPORTING DRAPERIES OR THE LIKE Filed March 1, 1966 I INVENTOR Z7 ziaA/AmfizAq az/m Z5 25 BY a 9 :22:. ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,346,909 OVERHEAD TRAVERSE FOR SUPPORTING DRAPERIES OR THE LIKE Leonard Blackburn, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor of one-half to Karen Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 1, 1966, Ser. N0. 530,965 3 Claims. (Cl. 16-94) This invention relates to an overhead traverse for supporting draperies, curtains and the like, and more par ticularly, to an elongated, and formed combination of channel and track designed for recessed ceiling mounting for the purpose of carrying draperies, curtains and the like.

Prior art ceiling recessed drapery traverses generally are made of unitary elongated formed structures, which structures are installed by the person furnishing the draperies or curtains. It will be understood that under normal situations the ceiling is constructed by one contractor while the drapery is supplied and hung by another contractor at a later time. Consequently, and heretofore, draperies and its traverse have been installed to a completed and finished ceiling. One objectionable feature concerning such prior art recessed structure revolves about the fact that the ceiling has to be opened or otherwise mutilated by the drapery installer. The installer then mounts the traverse in recessed fashion along the ceiling where the drapery is selected to hang and then has the added burden of repairing the opened ceiling to re-establish a finished ceiling appearance. A second objectionable feature concerns the fact that many times there are no convenient overhead interior ceiling support structures from which the recessed traverse may be readily mechanically attached. In such instances, the installer must resort to complex mechanical supports requiring appreciable time to install in order to provide means for supporting the traverse so as to carry the supported drapery therefrom. Even for a new building installation, these problems persist because normally it is not practical to allow the ceiling to remain open and unfinished to permit at some later time installation of an overhead recessed traverse by the drapery installer.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an elongated overhead traverse designed to allow a ceiling contractor to install a traverse supporting channel into the ceiling at the time the ceiling is being constructed, and which traverse is later mated with a track structure. The track structure is installed by the drapery contractor at later time when draperies are normally installed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an overhead traverse structure characterized by ease and economy regarding its fabrication, installation and use, and in addition a structure capable of over-coming the aforementioned limitations attending prior art traverse structures.

It is another object of the invention to provide an overhead traverse structure designed to permit mounting of the drapery and track manually by the drapery installer upon inserting such track in captivated mating relationship into a previously installed ceiling channel, whereby upon such installation, the mating members are captivated without the involvement of any complex mechanical structures.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drapery supported from an overhead traverse incorporating the principles of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating the overhead traverse assembly; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating in perspective the mating members forming the overhead traverse as contemplated in the invention.

Reference is now made to the figures illustrating an overhead traverse 10 incorporating the invention. Traverse 10 includes an elongated formed channel member 11 made of any suitable material, such as metal. Channel 11 may be readily formed to assume the shape and include the components illustrated in the figures by known fabricating techniques. Channel 11 has a substantially hollow U-shaped end view cross section as seen in FIG. 2. Channel 11 includes opposite side walls 12, 13 joined by a top wall 14. Individual flanges 15, 16 extend outwardly from respective side walls 12, 13. Channel 11 is fabricated to include a plurality of spaced apart and conventional clamp, screw attaching means or attaching loop means 17 as depicted in the figures for mountmg and securing channel 11 to one or more overhead beams 18 forming the ceiling structure. For illustrative purposes, each loop 17 engages a rod 18a secured to beam 18. If a convenient ceiling beam 18 is not avail-able, ceiling bar hangers of known design are secured and suspended between adjacent beams 18 by the ceiling contractor to attach channel member 11 thereto. The invention contemplates installation of channel 11 by the ceiling contractor at the time the ceiling structure is being finished by the installation of ceiling panels or tiles, depicted as 19 in the figures.

Channel 11 is depicted in FIG. 2 in end view cross section suitably secured to a ceiling. Channel 11 is mounted so that side wall flanges 15, 16 overlap adjacent ceiling panels or tiles 19 to provide an attractive and flush alignment with the plane of ceiling 19. The remainder of traverse structure 10, as seen from the figures, is recessed above the enclosing ceiling panels or tiles 19.

In fabrication, channel 11 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart'resilient prong-like members 21. At their lower ends, prongs 21 extend integrally from respective ones of side walls 12, 13, and terminate in upper free ends 22 in the interior of channel 11. Prongs 21 may be stamped from channel side walls 12, 13 during forming and fabrication of channel 11. Prongs 21 extend from their respective side walls upwardly and towards the opposite side wall of channel 11.

Overhead traverse 10 contemplates an elongated and open-ended track 23 of substantially U-Shaped cross section formed and fabricated of suitable material and designed for nesting within channel 11. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the opposite side walls of track 23 are stepped whereby horizontal ledges 24, 25 are captivated by prong upper ends 22 upon mounted insertion of track 23 in channel 11. The bottom side of track 23 is provided with an elongated open slot 26 having fiat horizontal ledges 27, 28 on either side of slot 26 for carrying roller drapery carriers 29. Prior to nesting track 23 into channel 11, a pair of master drapery carriers (not shown) and a required number of pleat roller carriers 29 are inserted into track 23 via the open ends thereof. As known in the art the lead corner of each drapery 20 is attached to a respective master carrier for drawing the pair of draperies 20 open and closed by a pulley system. Pleat carriers 29 are attached to a respective drapery pleat to support draperies 20 thereat. The open ends of track 23 then are provided with suitable pulley structure, depicted in FIG. 2 by reference number 30, which illustrates a two-wheel pulley bolted or otherwise secured to the top wall of track 23 adjacent each open end of the track.

The assembly of carriers and pulleys to track 23 may be made at the drapery manufacturing facility or at the place of drapery installation. A pulley cord 31 engages each pulley 30 and is secured to the respective master carrier to effect drapery operation as understood in the art. Upon assembling track 23 with its carriers and pulley system and securing draperies 20 to the carriers, the entire track may then be lifted by drapery installer personnel and nested in channel 11. Side walls of track 23 slidably engage prongs 21 causing the latter to spread apart until track ledges 24, 25 clear above the upper ends 22 of prongs 21. When ledges 24, 25 clear prongs 21, the latter resiliently return to their unstressed condition, whereby the free ends 22 thereof converge to efiect a snap-latch relationship, see FIG. 2, against ledges 24, 25 for captivating track 23 in channel 11. If the weight of draperies 20 makes installation of track 23 unwieldy with the draperies attached thereto, master carriers, pleat carriers 29, and the pulley system may be assembled to track 23 as described hereinbefore. Track 23 is then inserted and captivated in channel 11 after which draperies 20 are attached to the carriers in accordance with the prior art practice.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It will be understood that further objects and advantages will become apparent from the foregoing description of the invention taken in conjunction with the described and illustrated figures.

What is claimed is:

1. An overhead traverse comprising, a ceiling channel having means for securing said channel in recessed relationship in a room ceiling, said channelhaving an open bottom side adapted to confront said room upon mounting said channel to said ceiling, said channel also having confronting side walls on either side of its open side, re-

silient pronglike means extending integrally from respective ones of said side walls wherein, the free ends of said pronglike means from either Wall are inclined upwardly and towards the opposite side wall of said channel, a traverse track having joined walls designed for a mounted.

fit within said channel upon insertion therein, means on said track for spreading said prong means apart upon insertion of said track into said channel, the free ends of said prongs resiliently returning to a snap-latch relationship with respect to said track means for captivating said track in said channel upon mounted insertion of said track in said channel.

2. A traverse as defined inclaim 1 wherein said channel being a substantially hollow U-shaped structure, and said track having means for hooking over the free ends of said prong means.

3. A traverse as defined in claim 1 wherein, said track means for spreading said prong means including stepped side walls for hooking over the free ends of said prong means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1959 Graber 248-462 7/1962. Walz l6--87.6 

1. AN OVERHEAD TRAVERSE COMPRISING, A CEILING CHANNEL HAVING MEANS FOR SECURNG SAID CHANNEL IN RECESSED RELATIONSHIP IN A ROOM CEILING, SAID CHANNEL HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM SIDE ADAPTED TO CONFRONT SAID ROOM UPON MOUNTING SAID CHANNEL TO SAID CEILING, SAID CHANNEL ALSO HAVING CONFRONTING SIDE WALLS ON EITHER SIDE OF ITS OPEN SIDE, RESILIENT PRONGLIKE MEANS EXTENDING INTEGRALLY FROM RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID SIDE WALLS WHEREIN, THE FREE ENDS OF SAID PRONGLIKE MEANS FROM EITHER WALL ARE INCLINED UPWARDLY AND TOWARDS THE OPPOSITE SIDE WALL OF SAID CHANNEL, A TRAVERSE TRACK HAVING JOINED WALLS DESIGNED FOR A MOUNTED 